National Great Outdoors Month

Ah! What a great way to start the month of June – a celebration of the great outdoors! That’s right, June marks National Great Outdoors Month! 

(Image found at: http://home.messiah.edu/~js1690/)

There are many benefits to enjoying nature and well, just life in general, outside of four walls and a ceiling! For one, it can reduce stress, which can lead to a decrease in adverse health effects. The reduction in mental stress alone is worth the trip outside. There’s something about the smell of fresh air that calms me, and I would like to assume it has the same effect on others. It usually leads to higher levels of activity, as many use the outdoors as an outdoor gym! And why not – it’s free! The outdoors, if used during the daytime, comes with an added bonus – sunshine! Sunshine provides us with Vitamin D, which helps decrease the chances of a number of diseases, as well as boosting our moods! 

These factors, I should hope, are enough to convince you to drop what you’re doing right now (I mean…finish reading the blog!) and head outdoors! Get out there and go for a walk, play some Frisbee, do some push-ups, whatever – just go outside and enjoy the world around you! 

Not to be confused with: 

(Image found at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Outdoors_(film))